Private Sector; The Emperor's New Trees

By Ken Belson (COMPILED BY RICK GLADSTONE)

Published: September 15, 2002

Tensions are rising in central Tokyo -- literally.

Emperor Akihito's family is unhappy with the new Marunouchi Building, a 37-story retailing and office complex that opened on Sept. 6. Halfway between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, the building is nearly 600 feet tall, almost twice the height of any neighboring structure. More important, it towers over the castle beyond the moat. The builders broke an unwritten rule that prohibits anything surrounding the palace from exceeding 100 meters high, or about 330 feet. Windows facing the palace must also be sealed to prevent any imperial ill-wishers from hurling projectiles at the emperor.

There is, of course, little that the imperial household can do about this breach of privacy. New tenants like NTT DoCoMo Inc. and Bloomberg L.P. are happily ensconced in their new digs. Anyway, the building, which abuts one of the world's busiest train stations, had been in the works for years.

Still, the emperor and his minions continue to believe that they can keep the outside world at arm's length. They planted several 55-foot trees to keep curiosity seekers from getting a peek inside the palace grounds. Ken Belson